Top Beijing Tips - Your Insider Tips for Beijing

Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is a huge city with a staggering number of attractions to visit. To help decide where to go, we asked you for your Beijing tips over at our Hostelworld.com Facebook page. Here’s what you had to say...

Climb the world-famous Great Wall of China

Michelle Geraghty says:

Tour of the "Secret Wall" organised by Leo's Hostel (just off Tiananmen Square). They take you to a part of the great wall in the middle of nowhere. Parts are kind of crumbling compared to the renovated touristy sections but you have the place to yourselves out there! No tourists, no postcard sellers...just you and the vast hillsides with walls spiralling into the distance...it gives you a sense of what it was really like back in the day. Loved it!

Zillah De Groot says:

The Great wall at Simatai. I was there in summer and I met less than 20 people. It's still a very original piece of the Wall.

Lukas Pokorny says:

Great wall at Huanghuacheng, or the Shangfan mountain

Hostelworld.com says:

Spanning around 6,000 kilometres, the Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most well-known landmarks. Built to protect China’s northern borders, some sections of the wall have crumbled to nothing. Close to Beijing you’ll be able to visit some of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall, some of which are mentioned above.

Visit the beautiful Summer Palace

Stephanie Wells says:

The Summer Palace is a must see! Plan to spend a few hours there walking around, taking pictures, etc.

The Summer Palace is also recommended by: Lisa Jardine.

Hostelworld.com says:

Originally built to serve as a summer resort for the imperial family, the Summer Palace and its beautiful grounds cover an area of approximately 3 square kilometres. This means there’s plenty of space for you to stroll around while appreciating the gorgeous gardens, the stunning architecture and plenty more. The grounds are also home to the Kunming Lake where visitors can go boating.

If you’re looking to sample Beijing’s contemporary art and culture scene, head to the 798 Art District where you’ll find a large number of old military buildings which have been converted in galleries, museums and more. Cool cafés and trendy restaurants can also be found throughout this area, perfect for a post-gallery meal.

Location: 4. Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District.

Enjoy the nightlife Sanlitun

Fábio Santos says:

Incredible place!! Amazing But you need to bargain everything Stay in Sanlitun!!! The nightlife is there

Hostelworld.com says:

To sample some of the city’s best bars and clubs, look no further than the Sanlitun area of Beijing which is located inside the Chaoyang District. Paoachers and The Tree Bar are just two of the great bars to be checked out here. You can find out more about these bars in our free Beijing pocket guide. Alongside all the top-notch nightlife options, you’ll find some of the city’s best shopping as the area hosts stores from lots of top brands including internationally recognisable names like American Apparel and Apple.

Get around like a local by hiring a bike

Carla Mota says:

Rent a bike to explore Beijing. It's amazing... WILD CITY!

Hostelworld.com says:

Huge numbers of Beijing’s inhabitants get around the city by bicycle and as a result the roads are pretty bike-friendly. So, if you’re looking to see the city from a local’s perspective, why not hire a bike for the day and pedal around to some of Beijing’s top attractions. Hiring a bike for a day will set you back around Y100 and there are plenty of rental places spread across the city.

Beijing, the capital of the People’s Republic of China, is a huge city with a staggering number of attractions to visit. To help decide where to go, we asked you for your Beijing tips over at our Hostelworld.com Facebook page. Here’s what you had to say...

Climb the world-famous Great Wall of China

Michelle Geraghty says:

Tour of the "Secret Wall" organised by Leo's Hostel (just off Tiananmen Square). They take you to a part of the great wall in the middle of nowhere. Parts are kind of crumbling compared to the renovated touristy sections but you have the place to yourselves out there! No tourists, no postcard sellers...just you and the vast hillsides with walls spiralling into the distance...it gives you a sense of what it was really like back in the day. Loved it!

Zillah De Groot says:

The Great wall at Simatai. I was there in summer and I met less than 20 people. It's still a very original piece of the Wall.

Lukas Pokorny says:

Great wall at Huanghuacheng, or the Shangfan mountain

Hostelworld.com says:

Spanning around 6,000 kilometres, the Great Wall of China is one of the world’s most well-known landmarks. Built to protect China’s northern borders, some sections of the wall have crumbled to nothing. Close to Beijing you’ll be able to visit some of the best-preserved sections of the Great Wall, some of which are mentioned above.

Visit the beautiful Summer Palace

Stephanie Wells says:

The Summer Palace is a must see! Plan to spend a few hours there walking around, taking pictures, etc.

The Summer Palace is also recommended by: Lisa Jardine.

Hostelworld.com says:

Originally built to serve as a summer resort for the imperial family, the Summer Palace and its beautiful grounds cover an area of approximately 3 square kilometres. This means there’s plenty of space for you to stroll around while appreciating the gorgeous gardens, the stunning architecture and plenty more. The grounds are also home to the Kunming Lake where visitors can go boating.

If you’re looking to sample Beijing’s contemporary art and culture scene, head to the 798 Art District where you’ll find a large number of old military buildings which have been converted in galleries, museums and more. Cool cafés and trendy restaurants can also be found throughout this area, perfect for a post-gallery meal.

Location: 4. Jiuxianqiao Road, Chaoyang District.

Enjoy the nightlife Sanlitun

Fábio Santos says:

Incredible place!! Amazing But you need to bargain everything Stay in Sanlitun!!! The nightlife is there

Hostelworld.com says:

To sample some of the city’s best bars and clubs, look no further than the Sanlitun area of Beijing which is located inside the Chaoyang District. Paoachers and The Tree Bar are just two of the great bars to be checked out here. You can find out more about these bars in our free Beijing pocket guide. Alongside all the top-notch nightlife options, you’ll find some of the city’s best shopping as the area hosts stores from lots of top brands including internationally recognisable names like American Apparel and Apple.

Get around like a local by hiring a bike

Carla Mota says:

Rent a bike to explore Beijing. It's amazing... WILD CITY!

Hostelworld.com says:

Huge numbers of Beijing’s inhabitants get around the city by bicycle and as a result the roads are pretty bike-friendly. So, if you’re looking to see the city from a local’s perspective, why not hire a bike for the day and pedal around to some of Beijing’s top attractions. Hiring a bike for a day will set you back around Y100 and there are plenty of rental places spread across the city.